Crate for beverage bottles and the like



Aug. 11, 1953 B. BAXTER CRATE F OR BEVERAGE BOTTLES AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .Filed Aug. 23, 1950 J JJ Z0 1 HZZZW AWE? Aug. 11, 1953 B. L. BAXTER CRATE FOR BEVERAGE BOTTLES AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 25, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .IIIIHH .5? WWW"- T@ M To r j INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 11, 1953 CRATE FOR- BEVERAGE BOTTLES AND THE LIKE Bruce L. Baxter, Louisv ille, Ky., assignor to Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond, Va., a. corporation of Delaware Application August 23, 1950, Serial N 0. 180,933

2 Claims.

This invention bottles.

As heretofore constructed, such crates have been provided with dividers extending through the crat interiors for dividing the latter into individual compartments each adapted to receive an individual bottle. Before the present invention the dividers were constructed as elements separate from the crates and then secured within the crates by rivets, welding or other suitable securing means. Usually the dividers were secured to the walls of the crate, and while thus serving to brace the walls, the bottom of the crate was not substantially reinforced by the presence of the dividers. Since the crate bottom is particularly subjected to shock, loads and stresses, additional members were necessary to strengthen and rigidify the bottoms or else the latter were required to be of thick cross-section. Furthermore, the necessity for securing the separate dividers to the crate resulted in increased costs of production, complicated crate structures, and the presence of undesirable obstructions preventing smooth surfaces on both the interior and exterior of the crate, and frequent failure of the securing means.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to eliminate the above-noted disadvantages by providing a crate wherein the longitudinal dividers are formed integral with the crate bottom, thereby resulting in a strong, rigid structure, economical to manufacture, and devoid of rivets or other means securing the longitudinal dividers to the crate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel resilient shock-absorbing mounting means for securing the transverse dividers to the longitudinal dividers and the walls of the crate. By this arrangement, when glass or other frangible bottles strike the dividers with considerable force of impact, the resilient mounting means will yield so as to absorb the shock and prevent the bottles from breaking. Also, the provision of the resilient mounting means enables a load imposed on the side walls of the crate to be substantially distributed through all of the dividers. The maximum stress produced in the dividers is thus considerably reduced from that which would be obtained in a conventional crate construction wherein the transverse dividers are rigidly secured to the side walls and the longitudinal dividers so as to distribute the entire load on only one or several of the dividers.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a crate bottom having raised. integral relates to crates for containing illustrative of one of the many forms which the V invention may take in practice. The scope of the invention is delineated in the appended claims.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and are inherent in the structure as claimed and as shown in the ac companying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view, showing a crate in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the crate;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a sectional detail view of the crate bottom shown in perspective.

The crate embodying the present invention comprises generally a bottom I I having a pair of side walls l2, I3 and a pair of end walls I4, l5 secured thereto so as to form a substantially rectangular container. The construction of the bottom H is of particular significance and will now be described. An upwardly-extending flange or wall portion [6 is formed integral with the bottom II at the peripheral edge thereof and along the sides of the crate. At the ends of the crate a plurality of similar upwardly-extending flanges l1 are provided along the end edges of the bottom II. The latter is formed of one integral piece of sheet metal and comprises a horizontal portion I8 (see Figure 6) extending inwardly from the flange l6 and adapted to support the bottoms of a row of bottles placed therein. At

the inner longitudinal edge of the horizontal bottom portion Hi there is formed integral therewith a vertical wall I9, extending longitudinally of the crate and through the interior thereof. The upper edge of the wall I9 is rounded as at 20 and is continuously integral with a vertical longitudinally-extending wall 2| lying adjacent to the wall IS. A second horizontal portion 22 is formed integral with the lower edge of the wall 2| and extends inwardly therefrom. As shown in Figure 4, the horizontal portion 22 is also integral with a vertical wall 23, extending parallel a to the walls l9, 2! and longitudinally of the crate. The abutting walls l9, 2! form a longitudinal divider 24 integral with the crate bottom I l. The vertical wall 23 is formed integral with the adjacent abutting wall 23' to form a second longitudinal divider 25. A third longitudinal divider '26 is similarly constructed integral with'the botsmooth, rounded exteriors of" the arcuate-edges or beads eliminate sharp or irregular projections that are usually prevalent. with conven tional types of construction.

As shown in Figure 4, the side wall l2 integral with an end piece 21, the latter extending inwardly to, theiline of demarcation indicated at 28 and forming-part of-thewcrate end wall l5. The opposite vertical edge-of the side wall I2 is similarly provided with-anintegral end piece 29 (see Figure 2) extending inwardly to the line of demarcation 30. A side-wall 13 is similarly constructed with integral end. pieces 3land 32at the opposit vertical edges thereof. As best seen in Figure 4, the-side walls l2, l3=are secured to the upstanding flange 16* ofthe bottom H by means of rivets 32. The upper edges of the side walls l2,- l3 areturned or rounded. to form a bead 33.

The side walls 12; l3-and longitudinal dividers 24, 25, 29 are provided with apertures arranged in horizontally-alignedtransverse-rows. A tubular brace member 34 extends througheach aligned row of apertures and is provided, at its opposite ends, with outwardly-flaring or turned ends 35 abutting against the exterior surfaces of the side walls I2, 13 so as to-secure'. the tubular brace member 34 rigidly in place. The-side walls l2, l3 and the longitudinal dividers 24, 25, 26 are further provided with another series of apertures arranged in transverse horizontally-aligned rows and extending in a horizontal plane spaced beneath the aforementioned series-ofapertures. A second series of tubular brace-members 35am provided, each extending through atransverse aligned row of the apertures of said. second series and provided at its opposite ends with flared or turned portions 31 securing. the tubular brace members 36 to the side walls I2, IS.

A washer or cushion 38 formed of resilient yieldable material such as rubber or the like is mounted on each of the tubular brace members 24, 36 in abutting relation with the. side walls l2, l3. Similarly, resilient washers or: cushions 39 are mounted on the tubular brace members. 34, 36

on opposite sides of and in contact with each pair of vertical walls forming thelongitudinal dividers 23, 25, 26. A plurality of transverse tubular dividers 49 surround the tubular brace members 34. 36 and extend between the sidewalls l2, l3. and the vertical walls forming, the'longitudinal dividers 23, 25, 26. Eachof the transverse dividers 40 is provided at itsopposite ends. with a conical or tapered portion. 4| partially enclosing and abutting a respective one of the resilient washers or cushions 38, 39. The tapered or. conical portions 4| of the transverse dividers 40 press against the respective resilient washers 38, 39 so. as toresiliently and yieldably retain the transverse dividers 40 in assembled position. The yieldable or resilient mounting of .the transverse dividers 40 provides several advantages. When'glass bottles is formed placed within the compartments formed by dividers 40, 24, 25, 26 strike the transverse dividers 49 with considerable impact, the shock is absorbed by the resilient washers or cushions 38, 39, so as to prevent the glass bottles from breaking. Furthermore, when a load or shock is imposed upon the side walls l2; l3, the*resilientm-ounting provided by the washers 38, 39, enables the shock or load to be distributed evenly throughout the dividers 40, 24, 25, 26 so as to prevent a concentration of the entire load or stress in one or several of the dividers.

As best shown in Figure 5 the bottom ll has formed integral therewith a plurality of raised platforms 42;. Each of the latter is located centrally'of a respective compartment formed by the longitudinal dividers 24, 25, 25 and the transverse dividers 49 and comprises a fiat circular horizontal portion 43 upon which the bottom of a bottle may rest. The periphery of the flat portion 43 is continuously integral with an annular downwardly-sloping surface 44. The bottom is further provided with-a plurality of apertures or drain holes 45, located between the raised platforms 42 and beneath. the transverse dividers 49. The downwardly-sloping surfaces 44 lead to the peripheral edges of the adjacent drain holes 45 so as to. facilitate the flow of drain fluid from the plat forms 42 down to and through the drain holes 45.

The vertical walls forming each of the longitudinal dividers 24, 25, 29 are provided with integral lateral flanges 45 at their ends adjacent their upper edges- Unitary integral handle pieces 41', 48 are provided at opposite ends of the crate and are located. between and secured with respect to the inner verticaledges of the end pieces 21, 29, 3i, 32 formed integral with the side walls l2, 13. As shown in Figure 5, each ofthe handle portions 41, 48 comprises aflat inner wall 49-having a rounded bead55, 5! at its upper and lower edges and formed integral therewith. A front wall 52 extends integrally from the beads 50, 5| and is bent outwardly as at.54 so as to project through an elongatedaperture formed in the inner wall 49. The edge 55.is then bent outwardly so as to lie against the inner wall 49. There is thus provided a smooth, rigid and durable handle member having a smooth-edged aperture 55 adapted to be manually gripped.

The upwardly-extending end flanges i1 formed integral with the bottom H are secured to the handl members 41', 48 and to the end pieces 21, 29, 3!, 32 by means of rivets 53. The flanges 45 formed. integral with the vertical walls of the longitudinal dividers 24; 25, 26am secured to th end pieces 21, 29, 3|, 32and also to the handle member by means of rivets 51. Theside walls I2, l3 are similarly secured to the upstanding side flanges 15 formed integral with the bottom ll along the sides thereof by means of rivets indicated at 58. The side walls I2, 53 and their integral end pieces 21, 29, 3!, 32 may be provided with integral outstruck ribs 59 so as to increase thestrength and rigidity of the crate.

It will thus be seen that a strong, durable and rigid crate is provided for containing glass bottles. The longitudinal dividers 24, 25, 26 are formed integral with the bottom H so asto provide both a bracing and a dividing function. The resilient mounting of the transverse dividers 40 prevents the breaking of glass bottles when the latter impact against the dividers and also serves to distribute evenly throughout the dividers a load or shock imposed upon the side walls 12, 13. It will be noted that the construction of the crate is such'that the surfaces are entirely smooth and devoid of sharp or irregular projections. The raised platforms 42 integral with the bottom H serve not only to support the bottles but also facilitate the drainage of fluid through the drain holes 45 and they further serve as a stacking or nesting means when a plurality of crates are filled with bottles. That is, the platforms A3 of an upper crate are of a size and configuration adapted to be mounted over the tops of bottles within a lower crate, whereby the upper crate may be stacked upon the lower crate. The lower beads 50 of the handle members 41, 48, are continuous with lower beads 60 formed at the lower edges of the side walls I 2, I3 so as to form a continuous bead extending peripherally about the crate adjacent the bottom thereof and adapted to cooperate with the upper beads 33, 5| of another crate so as to enable the crates to be stacked in superimposed relation when they are empty of bottles.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A rectangular bottle carrying crate adapted for carrying a plurality of bottles comprising a sheet metal bottom portion having a plurality of double walled longitudinal dividers having cylindrical ends and of a height equal to the depth of the crate and vertically disposed and integral with said sheet metal bottom, said bottom having upturned end wall flanges and side wall flanges, end walls and side walls riveted to said flanges, said longitudinal dividers having a plurality of vertically disposed and horizontally aligned apertures, tubular brace members transversely disposed Within said apertures and between said side walls thereby dividing said crate into individual bottle carrying compartments, a plurality of tubular spacers having flared ends disposed about said brace members and both between said longitudinal dividers and also between the longitudinal dividers and the adjacent side walls, and a plurality of flared resilient rubber ring-like cushions disposed in the flared ends of said flared tubular spacers to produce resiliently disposed spacers adapted to absorb shock thus preventing bottle breakage.

2. The crate of claim 1 comprising 2. rolled over top edge disposed about the top perimeter of the crate, and a rolled over bottom edge disposed about the entire base of the crate, the bottom sheet being provided with raised platforms centrally disposed in each compartment.

BRUCE L. BAXI'ER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 532,991 Reid Jan. 22, 1895 805,424 Kruse Nov. 21, 1905 1,142,932 Clark June 15, 1915 1,305,756 Tone et a1 June 3, 1919 1,870,595 Thaden Aug. 9, 1932 2,034,205 Quirk et a1 Mar. 17, 1936 2,378,628 Gray June 19, 1945 2,436,236 Taurman Feb. 17, 1948 2,463,106 Hooker Mar. 1, 1949 2,467,698 Reynolds Apr. 19, 1949 2,535,114 Action Dec. 26, 1950 2,589,452 Stevenson Mar. 18, 1952 

